How to Compute the Algebraic Degree of sin(k ◦ )

In this paper we derive a formula for the algebraic degree Dk of sin(k ◦ ), where k is an
arbitrary integer. First we derive a more general formula for the algebraic degree Dk,n of
sin(2kπ/n) for arbitrary positive integers k and n. We then have Dk = Dk,360 .
For arbitrary positive integers k and n we define the folloiwng quantities:
ζ = ζn = e2πi/n ;
θ = ζ k = e2kπi/n ;
η = ηn,k = θ+θ = 2 cos(2kπ/n);
g = gcd(n, k);
m = n/g;
r = k/g.
Let Dk,n and Dk,n 0 be the algebraic degrees of sin(2kπ/n) and cos(2kπ/n) respectively. Since
     
2kπ π 2kπ 2(n − 4k)π
sin = cos − = cos ,
n 2 n 4n
we have
0
Dk,n = Dn−4k,4n . (1)
0
Thus it suffices to fist find a formula for Dk,n and then use (1). Since the algebraic degree
of Kα is equal to the algebraic degree of α for every nonzero rational number K and algebraic
number α, we see that Dk,n 0 is equal to the algebraic degree of η. Since 2kπ/n = 2rπ/m, it
0 0
is also clear that Dk,n = Dr,m . Since cos(2rπ) = 1 and cos(2rπ/2) = (−1)r are both rational,
we have Dr,10 = D 0 = 1, whence we may assume m ≥ 3.
r,2
Now consider the primitive mth root of unity ζm = e2πi/m . Since m and r are coprime,
θ = ζm r is also a primitive mth root of unity, whence the mth cyclotomic polynomial Φ (z)
m
is the minimal polynomial of θ, i.e., the monic polynomial of minimal degree satisfying the
algebraic equation
Φm (θ) = 0. (2)
Now it is well known that the degree of Φm is d = ϕ(m), where ϕ(N ) is the Euler totient
function of N , i.e., the number of positive integers less than N that are coprime to N . Since
Φm (z) is the minimal polynomial of θ, the algebraic degree of θ is also d. Since m ≥ 3, we see
that d is even.
Let K = Q(η) be the field extension of Q pgenerated by η and let L = Q(θ) be the field
extension of Q generated by θ. Since θ = η + η 2 − 4 we have [L : K] = 2, whence
0 [L : Q] d ϕ(m)
Dk,n = [K : Q] = = = ,
[L : K] 2 2
where
n
m= ,
gcd(n, k)
assuming m ≥ 3. As we have seen, if m ≤ 2, corresponding to the trivial case in which the
angle 2kπ/n is a multiple of 180◦ , then we have Dk,n
0 = 1.

1
2

Finally we note that by (1), we have

0 ϕ(m0 )
Dk,n = Dn−4k,4n =
2
where
4n
m0 = ,
gcd(4n, n − 4k)
assuming m0 ≥ 3. If m0 ≤ 2, corresponding to the trivial case in which the angle 2kπ/n is an
odd multiple of 90◦ , we have Dk,n = 1.
We conclude that the algebraic degree Dk of sin(k ◦ ) is given by
ϕ(m0 )
Dk = Dk,360 = ,
2
where
1440 360
m0 = = ,
gcd(1440, 360 − 4k) gcd(360, 90 − k)
assuming k is not an odd multiple of 90. If k is an odd multiple of 90, we have Dk = 1.